The present invention generally relates to the field of magnetic memories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic memory device and method which provide improved half-select margins.
Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is a type of non-volatile magnetic memory which includes magnetic memory cells. A typical magnetic memory cell includes a layer of magnetic film in which the magnetization of the magnetic film is alterable and a layer of magnetic film in which magnetization is fixed or xe2x80x9cpinnedxe2x80x9d in a particular direction. The magnetic film having alterable magnetization is typically referred to as a data storage layer, and the magnetic film which is pinned is typically referred to as a reference layer.
A magnetic memory cell is usually written to a desired logic state by applying external magnetic fields that rotate the orientation of magnetization in its data storage layer. The logic state of a magnetic memory cell is indicated by its resistance which depends on the relative orientations of magnetization in its data storage and reference layers. The magnetization orientation of the magnetic memory cell assumes one of two stable orientations at any given time. These two stable orientations, parallel and anti-parallel with respect to the reference layer, represent, for example, logic values of xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c1.xe2x80x9d
Typically, the orientation of magnetization in the data storage layer aligns along an axis of the data storage layer that is commonly referred to as its easy axis. The external magnetic fields are applied to flip the orientation of magnetization in the data storage layer along its easy axis to either a parallel or anti-parallel orientation. With parallel orientation, the magnetic memory cell is in a low resistance state, and with anti-parallel orientation, the magnetic memory cell is in a high resistance state. These parallel and anti-parallel resistance states are due to unequal quantum mechanical tunneling of spin polarized electrons between the pinned layer and the data layer.
One type of MRAM device includes an array of magnetic memory cells. Word lines extend along rows of the magnetic memory cells, and bit lines extend along columns of the magnetic memory cells. Each magnetic memory cell is located at an intersection of a word line and a bit line. A selected magnetic memory cell is usually written by applying electrical currents to the particular word and bit lines that intersect at the selected magnetic memory cell. The electrical current applied to the particular word line generates a magnetic field having a component along the easy axis of the selected magnetic memory cell. This magnetic field may be referred to as a word line write field. An electrical current applied to the particular bit line also generates a magnetic field having a component along the easy axis of the selected magnetic memory cell. This magnetic field may be referred to as a bit line write field.
The selected magnetic memory cell receives both the word line and bit line write fields. Other magnetic memory cells coupled to the particular word line usually receive only the word line write field. Other magnetic memory cells coupled to the particular bit line usually receive only the bit line write field. A magnetic memory cell receiving only the word line or the bit line write field is termed a xe2x80x9chalf-selectedxe2x80x9d magnetic memory cell. The magnitudes of the word line and bit line write fields are usually chosen to be high enough so that the selected magnetic memory cell switches its logic state but not too high so that the half-selected magnetic memory cells which are subject to either the word line or the bit line write field switch their logic states. This difference in magnitudes is called the half-select margin. An undesirable switching of the state of a magnetic memory cell that receives only the word line or only the bit line write field is commonly referred to as half-select switching.
Manufacturing variation in the dimensions or shapes of the magnetic memory cells can increase the likelihood of half-select switching due to insufficient half-select margins. Variations in the thickness or in the crystalline anisotropy of the data storage layers can also increase the likelihood of half-select switching. Furthermore, reductions in the magnetic memory cell size can also increase the likelihood of half-select switching. As a result, magnetic memory manufacturing yield and reliability is correspondingly decreased.
It is a continuing goal of the industry to improve manufacturing yields and reliability in order to reduce the cost and size of magnetic memories. Consequently, approaches which suppress the inadvertent switching of half-selected memory cells are desired.
The present invention is a magnetic memory which includes a circuit configured to apply a reverse magnetic field to one or more half-selected magnetic memory cells to improve half-select margin in the magnetic memory.